Achi news desk-
Prince Harry has been called on to resign from his wildlife charity after being hit again by horror claims.
Africa Parks was accused on Friday of torturing suspected poachers and raping tribesmen.
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The vile allegations came just weeks after the Duke of Sussex was warned to stay away from the organization over similar claims.
Harry, 39, is a board member of African Parks – and was president for six terms until last year.
But royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says the prince should consider his future with the charity – which works to restore and manage national parks.
He said there was “no doubt” Harry should speak up – or come forward.
The organization was hit last May by sickening claims of Baka women who were raped and men who put their heads under river water in the Republic of Congo.
As a result, Harry’s Archwell Foundation said it escalated the allegations to the chief executive and chairman of the board.
Now dozens of alleged witnesses have come forward with new allegations.
The latest allegations appeared in a new book “Entrepreneurs in Nature” by Dutch journalist Olivier van Beeman, who spent three years investigating the charity.
He collected first-hand accounts from victims, perpetrators of abuse, as well as former and current rangers in African parks.
Royal commentator Fitzwilliams said now is the time for Harry to speak up – or stand up.
He told The Sun: “There are further allegations, allegations of torture and so on, which will again increase the pressure on Prince Harry to step down from the board at least while these investigations continue.
“There is no doubt that if he does not stand, he should stand aside.
“No doubt there should be a response especially as Harry is so keen on conservation and so keen on this particular issue.”
Richard added: “There needs to be some action from Harry.
“There is no doubt that now there should be a response from him.”
Among the new claims is the use of the “swing” method.
According to the suspicion, it involves knocking down a victim, suspending them in the air and turning them around while they are beaten with sticks.
What are African parks?
Its website states: “African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes full responsibility for the restoration and long-term management of national parks in partnership with local governments and communities.
“We currently manage 22 national parks and protected areas in 12 countries covering 20 million hectares in: Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“The organization was founded in 2000 in response to the dramatic decline of protected areas due to poor management and lack of funding.
“African Parks takes a clear business approach to conserving Africa’s wildlife and remaining wild areas, securing vast landscapes and carrying out the activities necessary to protect the parks and their wildlife.
“African Parks maintains a strong focus on economic development and poverty alleviation of surrounding communities to ensure that each park is ecologically, socially and financially sustainable in the long term.
“Our goal is to manage 30 parks by 2030, the geographical distribution of protected areas and the representation of different ecoregions make this the largest and most ecologically diverse portfolio of parks managed by any single NGO on the continent.”
The method, known as ‘Kampalva’, forces people to talk, it is claimed.
Foster Kalunga, a charity keeper in Zambia for five years until 2022, said of the “swing” method in Liwa Plain National Park: “It doesn’t last long because it hurts a lot.
“When he’s hanging there he says anything you want, even things he doesn’t know.”
Africa Parks is based in South Africa but operates throughout the continent.
Funded by British aid, celebrities and American billionaires, the charity works to restore and manage national parks in partnership with local governments and communities.
Etienne Couliwa, a former worker at Garamba Park in the DRC, said an aggressive military approach to wildlife protection is installed by guides.
They are usually from Israel, France or South Africa and a poacher is the “enemy” that must be “neutralized”, Mr. Koliva claimed.
There is also no doubt that if he does not stand, he should stand aside.
Richard Fitzwilliams
African Parks said Koliva was dismissed for poaching a buffalo and a warthog while on patrol.
In response to the claims, African Parks said the author was biased and said his book was “deeply flawed”.
The charity added: “African Parks has been operating for more than 20 years, with long-term agreements with 12 different sovereign governments and many traditional authorities.
“We have received funding from most global institutions … all require detailed review processes, as well as intermittent grant audits.”
In January there were calls for Harry to step away from the organization.
This happened after one of the Baka people claimed: “The African parks are slowly killing us.
“We suffer so much that we might be dead.”
Another said: “The past was much better for us – and the reason is all because of the African parks.”
At the time, African Parks said that investigating the claims was “a top priority”.
Read more about the Scottish sun
Caroline Pearce, of the charity Survival International, said: “We are calling for him to step down.”
Harry, through the Archewell Foundation, said: “When the Duke became aware of these serious allegations, he immediately passed them on to the chief executive and chairman of the board of African Parks, the right people to handle the next steps.”
Prince Harry has nothing left in Britain, says expert
By Morgan Johnson and Matt Wilkinson
Prince Harry has no ties to Britain left as his relationship with William becomes irreparable, a royal expert says.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, severed all remaining ties with the UK – and allegedly with his family – when he declared a “new country/ordinarily resident country” in US documents.
Simon Wigger told The Sun’s exclusive royal show there is no turning back when it comes to Harry’s relationship with big brother Wills – after years of twisted digs and comments thrown at the royals by the Duke.
Speaking to The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson, Wigger also claims Harry’s lack of investment in the royal role is due to estrangement.
He said: “Prince Harry doesn’t have a pigeonhole or a desk at St James’s Palace for correspondence, but I think that reflects the estrangement.
“The very big estrangement with William, there doesn’t seem to be a fix for that relationship, unfortunately.
“And with the king, it is clear that he saw him for a short time, very, very briefly in February, and not since then.
“But you know I hope they’re on the phone.”
Simon went on to say that the rift between Harry and his now estranged family was “entirely avoidable”, however “too much” has now happened to rebuild bridges.
He added: “It’s a shame. I think the whole thing is really sad and could have been completely avoided.
“But too much has been said and done now. It happens in many families but not on such a public scale.
“I think with William and Harry in particular, too much has been said for it to ever go back to the way it was unfortunately.”
